Apprehensive travelers are turning to CBD and cannabis for their calming effects. But crossing borders with it can be tricky. We break down the rules for you—and the best products to try.
As travel makes its roaring comeback and you return to the friendly skies or the open road, you may also feel a little trepidation after so much time grounded. Some nervous travelers are taking CBD, or cannabidiol, a non-intoxicating cannabis plant extract, for its calming effects. Others use it to treat jet lag or ease aches & pains.
But can you fly with CBD oil or gummies? Here’s what you need to know about traveling with CBD—plus, some of our favorite products for travelers.
Can you travel with CBD?
According to the TSA, CBD products that contain less than 0.3 percent of delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the standard for CBD derived from hemp as opposed to CBD from cannabis, are permitted aboard aircraft in checked or carry-on bags. Keep in mind that marijuana and certain cannabis-infused products with more than 0.3 percent delta 9 THC are illegal based on federal laws and should not be brought on airplanes. The TSA website maintains that passenger screening is aimed at detecting potential threats and keeping everyone safe and not in the business of searching for illegal substances, but that said, the laws are pretty clear, and breaking them is ill-advised.
Although CBD has been legal on a federal level since 2018, keep in mind that cannabis regulations vary from state to state. For example, it’s perfectly legal to travel with delta 8 THC products containing less than 0.3 percent of delta 9 THC in the state of Tennessee, but in Iowa, delta 8 THC products are considered illegal. And even this is confusing as all forms and combinations of cannabis appear on the state’s list of banned substances.
Before you bring cannabis products into a new state, it’s best to research local regulations.
Traveling internationally with CBD is even trickier. Although Canada legalized cannabis in 2018, it’s still against the law to cross the Canadian border with cannabis and cannabis-containing products—even if you have a medical marijuana license. Likewise, traveling abroad to anywhere in the EU prohibits the possession of cannabis and products containing cannabis, regardless of the laws in the country you’re visiting. And if you decide to purchase cannabis in one EU nation—say, the Netherlands—the safest option is to leave it behind if your European adventures have you hopping from country to country.
The benefits of CBD for travelers
With all the boring legal stuff out of the way, let’s dive into the benefits and uses of CBD & cannabis for travelers.
“The literature studying the effects of cannabis on anxiety is fairly robust,” says Timothy Byars, director of Medical Cannabis Programs at Pacific College of Health and Science. Studies, of which there are over a hundred now, show promising evidence that CBD may reduce anxiety.
But while CBD’s potential to help stressed or anxious travelers is fairly well known, Byars says it may also promote wakefulness, at least at lower doses.
CBD edibles and oils promoting energy or focus are on the rise, though research has not yet gone deep in studying CBD’s stimulating effects. Nonetheless, we’d be remiss to ignore CBD’s potential to help weary, jet-lagged travelers combat fatigue and exhaustion. This writer, for one, has found CBD products promising “energy” or “focus” to be a better bet than downing yet another cup of coffee when the inevitable jet lag strikes. And Boston-based musician Tedros McCrary says he’s found CBD useful on trips out west when traveling requires adjusting to a different time zone. “It’s subtle but effective,” he says.
Best CBD products for travelers
Whether you’re looking for a way to relax in flight or focus on a jam-packed-making-up-for-lost-time travel agenda, we’ve got you covered. Read on for our picks for the best CBD products for travelers. Each one contains less than 0.3 percent of THC, so they’re legal to travel with on domestic flights within the United States.
1. Best CBD edible: Karma Calming Caramels
- Buy now: $8.99 for a sample two-pack or $19.99 for a five-pack
- CBD per serving: 30 mg
- THC per serving: 6 mg
2. Best CBD gummy: flowerz Kiwi Strawberry Fruit Thins
- Buy now: $19.99 for 8 fruit thins
- CBD per serving: 10 mg
- THC per serving: 2 mg
If you care about authentic (read: not artificial) flavors, you’d be hard-pressed to find a tastier gummy than what this artisanal brand is producing. Redolent of the flower it comes from, the mixed berry full-spectrum gummies, made from hemp, are especially delicious—and effective. A general-use CBD bite, a single dose can be taken before takeoff or after a long hike when your muscles need some TLC.
3. Best CBD for jet lag (falling asleep): flowerz Mixed Berry Full-Spectrum Gummies
- Buy now: $19.99 for 10 gummies
- CBD per serving: 30 mg
- THC per serving: 10 mg
- CBN per serving: 10 mg
We’ll admit we were initially drawn to this product because of its attractive, streamlined packaging and design, but we stayed enamored after administering a fruit chew before bed on our first night back in a hotel in an unfamiliar bed and proceeded to fall into a deep, relaxing slumber. The recommended dose’s 10mg of CBN no doubt played a part in the gummy lulling us to sleep, but it’s hard not to also feel grateful for the groggy-free mornings likely aided by the gummy’s hemp-derived CBD.
4. Best CBD for jet lag (staying awake): flowerz Uplifting Peach Mango Gummies
- Buy now: $19.99 for 10 gummies
- CBD per serving: 20 mg
- THC per serving: 10 mg
- Caffeine per serving: 10 mg
Truth be told, all of the flowerz gummy categories are amazing: Uplifting, Sleep, and Euphoric, but if we had to choose just one for our travel needs now, we’d go with Uplifting. Containing terpene limonene, which may aid in memory and stoke creative juices, these peach-mango gummies are a great option for travelers with packed itineraries who struggle with jet-lag-related brain fog. Plus, limonene—a terpene found in oranges, lemons, and fruits—may also help relieve pain.
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